Dr. Thomas "Tom" W. Lezniak
November 16, 1941 ~ April 26, 2025
Dr. Thomas “Tom” W. Lezniak, 83, entered into eternal rest on April 26, 2025. Born November 16, 1941, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to William and Mary Lezniak, Tom’s sharp mind and insatiable curiosity carried him from Edison High School (Class of ’59) where, he was valedictorian, to the University of Minnesota-where he graduated with high distinction in Physics in 1963 and, seven years later, earned his Ph.D. in Physics with a Mathematics minor. Tom and his fraternal twin, Jerry, both earned full scholarships to Yale University but ultimately chose to stay close to their mother and attend the University of Minnesota.
In 1963, Tom married the love of his life, Marsha Welsh. Together they built a home in Wichita’s Air Capital, where Tom joined Boeing in the early 1970s. As a dedicated physicist, he earned the respect of colleagues with his keen intellect and quick wit, yet it was at home that his heart truly shone. A devoted father, Tom delighted in guiding his four children-Thomas, Megan, Josh, and Jeremy-through life’s many adventures.
Tom’s biggest joy was his family. He loved his grandchildren immensely-staying in close touch, nurturing their interests, and celebrating each milestone. In retirement, he devoted countless hours to building a comprehensive family-tree database-complete with photos and detailed histories-to ensure those familial connections and memories would endure for generations.
He was also particularly dedicated to nurturing young minds and inspiring a love of science. As a volunteer after retirement, Tom taught STEM subjects at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and tutored mathematics at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. He took great pleasure in simplifying complex scientific concepts and sparking curiosity and wonder in every student he met.
His Catholic faith was the cornerstone of his life, marked by profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. For many years, he honored the Virgin Mary weekly by laying a bouquet of roses at her statue in the Adoration chapel. Prayer was both his refuge and joy, and he was often found quietly absorbed in contemplative prayer.
Throughout life's trials, Tom exemplified a remarkable spirit of gratitude and resilience. Even in his final days, amid health challenges and hospital stays, he continually sought ways to deepen his bond with his children and grandchildren. His steady kindness and unwavering faith leave a lasting impact-and his absence will be deeply felt by all who were fortunate enough to know him.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marsha Lezniak. Thomas leaves behind his twin brother, Jerry Lezniak; his loving children, Thomas J. Lezniak, Megan Mahaney (Patrick), Josh Lezniak (Kelly), and Jeremy Lezniak (Melissa), and Lisa Holmes; and his treasured grandchildren, Breanna Mahaney, Eion Mahaney, Kacey Mahaney, Whitney Mahaney, Nadya Lezniak, Aiden Lezniak, Xavier Lezniak, Emily (Marcus) Thompson, Thomas Joseph Lezniak II, Jacob Lezniak, Katie Lezniak, Mary Lezniak, and James Lezniak.
Rosary will be 10:00 am, Funeral Mass will be 10:30 am, both on Friday, May 2, 2025, at St. Francis of Assis Catholic Church. Memorials have been established with: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School STEM Program, 861 North Socora, Wichita, Kansas 67212; Angels of Hope Child Scholarship Program, 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073; and Feed the Children, 333 North Meridian Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107.
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Sadly I won’t be able to attend this service it breaks my heart because Tom Sr meant a lot to me in the time I was there taking care of Jerry I grew close to Tom Sr as well. I’ll always remember him excitingly make food for me and waiting for me to tell him if I liked it or not I loved it all even the sauerkraut dish and I absolutely hate sauerkraut haha… I’ll remember our late night talks till 2 am it’s like I knew him for years and he was really my grandpa. He was forgiving understanding sweet and just awesome. To go through everything in life an be so positive an uplifting even when he wasn’t feeling well. Glad to be able to be apart of your life even if it was for a short moment. I send my wishes to all the family and friends. I know he’s just singing up there cracking his jokes. Molly’s gonna be okay. Watch over us all. I’ll never forget you. Love Korina. 💕
Dear Josh,
Here at Delta, we are truly sorry for your loss. Your father’s life was nothing short of extraordinary—marked by brilliance, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to both his family and his passions.
His academic and professional achievements, from being a valedictorian to earning a PhD and shaping minds through both his work as a physicist at Boeing and his love for teaching, speak to the remarkable person he was. But beyond his impressive accomplishments, his greatest success was the kindness and selflessness he showed—choosing family over prestige, sharing his knowledge with students, and inspiring those around him through his wisdom and generosity.
May his legacy continue to shine through the lives he touched, and may you find comfort in the incredible memories you shared with him. Wishing you and your family peace during this difficult time.
With deepest sympathy,
Amish Shah & the entire Delta family.
Tom (and Jerry) gave me my first official opportunity to write software professionally by assisting them with their navigational work at Boeing. During my interview with them I described how I had written a simple flight simulator in Fortran, having worked out the navigation equations (which were a challenge for me but would have been simplistic from their perspective). Although most of what they did and talked about at Boeing was over my head they treated me with respect as a fellow team member and trusted me to produce what they needed which meant a lot. I’m a Design Engineer for Brainworks Software and it can be traced back to the “big break” that the Lezniak’s gave me. Thank you!